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P o rtla n d . O re g o n
ERVER
V O L U M E X X • NUM BER 4
By Ullysses Tucker, Jr.
It’s great to know that people are read­
ing the Portland Observer these days. As
expected, I received a few letters and sev­
eral telephone calls from supportive, an­
gry, or even amused readers. 1 heard from
old friends, ex-girlfriends, and from people
who may eventually become friends.
First o f all, it was not my intention to
offend, point fingers, or cause any confu­
sion in the black community. My intent
was to address some basic issues and prob­
lems affecting the lives of black men I
know through my civic-professional in­
volvement. Frankly, I'v e had some of the
same experiences as these black men, but I
was not writing from a personal perspec­
tive. I wanted to create dialogue and be­
lieve me, I think that mission was accom­
plished.
I find it truely amazing that one story
could provoke so much conversation and
generate so much energy amoung readers.
I was stopped at church, in the Safeway, at
red-lights, and confronted while out to dinner
with friends. I heard that it was discussed
in bars, on the buse.City Hall, barber shops,
and a host of other places. I was told that I
only like white women.
I only wish that people would put the
same type of energy into voting, taking care
of their children, being positive role mod­
els, and making our community a place to
live. Why not commit to the NAACP, Big
Brother - Big Sister Program, or Urban
League like many of you commited to
analyzing the story? Obviously, I plucked
a few nerves out there. Now, I will share
w ith you some o f the reactions I received or
betterstill, nerves I plucked!
For starters, every single, college edu­
cated, childless professional that contacted
me thought the story was good. They were
very interested in meeting some of the
professional black men that I talked about
and cur ious as to where we hung out around
town. These women complained about
there not being any place to go and be
around black professionals.
Then, there were the divorced parents
or single parents, who felt offended be­
cause the black males I wrote about did not
desire this type of situation. One black
woman suggested that black men raise their
standards for mates once they attain a cer­
tain economic/social level. This may be
true in some cases, but there are also di­
vorced black men who are single parents
who are in the same predicament. All they
want to do is peacefully co-exist at this
Local Writers Invited
To Submit Poetry In
Honor Of Black
History Month
In honor of Black History Month, U.S.
Bank is requesting poetry be submitted for
publication in area newspapers. Local writers
are invited to submit their original works of
poetry preferrably limited to 20 lines to:
4 U.S. Bank Public Relations
African-American Reflections
P.O. Box 8837
Portland, Oregon 97208
Dealine for entries is January 31,1990.
All written pieces should be typed and
double spaced. Please indicate whether the
writer is an adult (over 18) or a young adult
(13-18) or a child (12 and under), and
whether the writer wishes to remain anony­
mous. AH entries must include name, address
and phone number for consideration. All
entries must be original works by the sub­
mitter.
Up to 24 poems will be selected for
inclusion in a special poetry section pro­
vided by U.S. Bank in local newspapers.
Pieces selected will be published one time
only during Black History Month, Febru­
ary 1990. Due to volume, pieces cannot be
returned.
Samuel Pierce
Martin Luther King.Jr. Boulevard
by Samuel Pierce continued
next week
JANUARY 24,1990
“ The Eyes and The Ears of the Community’
Black Women: The Second Part
stage in life. Both parties involved have a
great deal to offer each other. It's just a
matter of how much emotional baggage
and past pain they bring to relationships.
We all have something to offer and I think
that point was made clear in the last story.
The question remains, is it wrong for a
college educated, childless professional black
male/female to want a college educated/
professional black women/man with no kids?
Should a black man/women who docs not
meet these standards be offended? It’s not
for me to judge. I only know what I as a
black man want or does not want in a
relationship.
This leads me to another issue ad­
dressed in a letter. I mentioned that I do
know some black males who do not mine
helping to stabilize existing families, but
they have to cope with biological fathers
attitudes or the woman not wanting any­
more children. One letter suggested that
many black males in this city are not in a
position to help existing families and went
on to say that he had no desire to be with a
woman with children. Again, that is his or
her prerogative.
On the topic of females being ruthless
and materialistic, one brother noted that
Portland does not have a comer on the
market when it comes to those characteris­
tics. He said that there are ruthless/materi-
alistic women all over the United States,
not just Oregon. The same principle ap­
plies to men also as I mentioned last time.
People are products of their environments,
be it dysfunctional or functional, their
experiences and role models. Sometimes,
we need to evaluate our past to see how we
interact with people today.
The issue of inter-racial dating caused
the most uproar in the last story. One
brother called me at my "real jo b ” and
accused me of making his life ruff. His
white girlfriend read acopy of the Observer
and questioned him about how serious he
was about their relationship. She didn't
like the part about white women being easy
to dump or the part about brothers hanging
out with white women until they found the
right black women. Again, the opinion
shared in the last story was not a universal
law. It was what worked for the person I
mentioned in the first story. Sadly, one
brother said that he found it very hard to
deal with black women in relationships. I
asked him what color is your mother? He
said black of course. I then asked if he got
along with her? He said no. Get the
picture?
Some of the readers accused me of
personally attacking them. This was not the
case at all. Readers read and recognized
what they wanted too. They only saw what
they wanted to see. Many people go through
life the same way or relationships for the
matter. Then, they wonder why certain
problems exist or why someone is no longer
in their life.
Some o f the local women were of­
fended because the story suggested that the
more ambitious sisters leave town to chase
their career dreams. They were mad be­
cause it seemed like only the less ambitious
ones stay here. As suggested in the last
story, there are some quality black women
in this city, but the fact that many leave
town does not help the chances o f a black
male meeting a mate. Black males also
leave town and never come back to Port­
land. Face it, black people are culturally
isolated and greatly outnumbered in Ore­
gon. I grew up in a housing project with
more blacks that the entire state of Oregon
within ten blocks.
Lastly, the only other real issue that
surfaced was the lack of social outlets for
black professionals or black people for that
matter. Outside of a couple of “juke joints,”
there are no places for folks to gather,
interact, exchange business cards, or net­
work. I’ve learned to make due with what
is available. As one brother noted, “ I ski
and do n 't see sisters. I go to nice jazz clubs
and don’t see sisters. I go to Blazers games
and do n 't see sisters. Where are they?”
According to one active church mem­
ber who called, there are some great sisters
at her church and suggested that I help to
organize a forum or event for black people
to address this situation. There is a great
need to say the least. What do you suggest?
Some say attend church regularlu and
others say designate a meeting spot. At one
point, I'm told, that there was a regular
gathering at Harrington's (downtown) where
Black professionals exchange ideas and
information.
Be it church, at a forum, or at a desig­
nated space or place, we still have a prob­
lem. I'm pleased to know thatl helped to get
the dialogue in the open and very hopeful
about a forum possibility. Moving into the
competitive 1990s, we need to be prepared
emotionally, politically, economically, and
morally.
My grandmother once told m e ," ... it's
not so much as finding the right person, it's
being the right kind of person."
OAME Presented With
Special Award
The U.S. Small Business Administra­
tion (SBA) on Wednesday, Jan. 24th pre­
sented a special award of nearly $150,000
to the Oregon Association o f Minority
Entrepreneurs (OAME) along with the
Portland Community College (PCC) for
their joint proposal to enhance the success
of minority-owned businesses throughout
Oregon.
Erline M. Patrick, SBA’s Minority Small
Business and Capital Ownership Develop­
ment Associate Administrator, presented a
$149,774 check to Samuel Brooks, OAME's
founder and Executive Director, In a cere­
mony held at the Portland City Hall.
Utili/i., the resources of the PCC Small
Business Development Center and OAME’s
extensive business network, the proposal is
designed to provide technical and manage­
rial assistance to eligible businesses.
OAME’s “ circuit rider” program in
addition to some 20 small business devel­
opment centers throughout Oregon will make
accessible needed business services such as
seminars, workshops and one-to-one coun­
seling qualifying entrepreneurs statewide.
The SB A award is aresultof a competi­
tive process in which profit and non-profit
organizations were asked to develop inno­
vative programs providing management and
technical assistance to disadvantaged firms.
OAME is a non-profit organization
with a primary aim to promote entrepre­
neurship and economic development .'or
ethnic minorities throughout Oregon. T -e
organization operates across ethnic lines
and sets out to bring ethnic minorities and
non-minority businesses into productive
networks.
Oregon Premiere Of 'The
Meeting' On Stage At IFCC
Malcolm X. Martin Luther King. Two
exceptional leaders fighting for the free­
dom and dignity of their people; two excep­
tional leaders separated by diametrically
opposed methods; two exceptional leaders
searching for common ground:
THE
MEETING, by Jeff Stetson, is a powerful
enactment o f a fictional encounter between
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. They
come together for the first and only time in
a Harlem hotel in 1965 to discuss the struggle
for black equality. This meeting never took
place, but Stetson has constructed a grip­
ping, believable format to showcase the
ideas and philosophies of the two men, and
to probe beyond the public personnae in an
effort to understand the men themselves.
The IFCC is proud to present the Oregon
premiere of this thought-provoking script.
The IFCC production reunites Rick
Jones and Anthony P. Armstrong, most
I
recently seen together in WOZA ALBERT.
Jones directs and appears as Malcolm, and
Armstrong plays the role of Martin Luther
King. They are joined by Brian G. Dance in
the role of Rashad, Malcolm's bodyguard.
THE MEETING opens to the public
with a gala benefit performance and cham­
pagne reception on February 2nd. Perform­
ances continue through March 4th, Fridays
and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.
Tickets are $25 for the opening gala which
serves as a fundraiser for the IFCC, $12 on
Friday and Saturday nights, and $11 on
Sunday afternoons. Discounted grouprates
are available. Advance ticket purchase is a
strongly recommended. The IFCC box
office is open Tuesday through Friday, 3:00
to 5:30 pm and Saturday 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
Call 243-7340 for ticket purchase and in­
formation.
2S<
Blazers Hold Clinic For
Columbia Villa Youth
By Dan Bell
50 young people warmly received
Portland Trailblazers Kevin Duckworth,
Jerome Kersey, and coach Rick Adelman
Saturday as they ran a brief basketball
clinic and gave motivational speech:. against
drug use at University Park Community
Center.
The children ranged in ages from 8 to
15 and participated in basketball programs
at University Park, and Matt Dishman
Community Centers.
Center Director Lee Jenkins said that
the clinic was a result of efforts made by
Chris Shelton, a Multnomah Community
Legislative Task
Force Examines
Social Service
Delivery
Service Officer with Multnomah County
Sheriffs Office. Shelton is a member of
Columbia Villa Safety Action Team, and
an acquaintance of Kevin Duckworth.
The Blazer members divided their skills
to instruct the kids on different aspects of
basketball. Kevin Duckworth, led drills on
dribbling, Jerome Kersey gave pointers in
shooting techniques, and coach Adelman
ran drills on defense.
Afterwards each Trailblazer gave an
impromptu speech on the merits of good
and responsible decision making. Focus­
ing in on how good decision making will
make positive impact on each individual
life. They stressed that the ability to make
thoughtful decisions will enable them to
make choices that are best for them and
their future.
Lee Jenkins expressed that Saturdays
event is one of several activities geared to
encourage the community's youth in posi­
tive manner and to give them some positive
re-enforcing experiences.
Other projects in the future are a skiing
trip, with the Ebony Rose Ski Club, and
possibly a wrestling safety clinic instructed
by local professional wrestlers.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary
School Plant Trees For King
SALEM -A legislative panel is seek­
ing public input on a variety of social
service issues, it was announced today.
Representative Stein, chair of the House
Task Force on Human Resource Reorgani­
zation, invites all people involved in the
social service system to a meeting January
24 in the state capitol.
Stein, a first term lawmaker from Port­
land, said that the task force is looking into
legislation for the 1991 session that would
initiate a strategic planning process to develop
arational plan for delivering social services
in the next century.
“ In light of federal initiatives and
demographic trends, we need to use the
1990s as the time to position ourselves for
the future,” Stein stated. “ By the year
2050,1 out of 4 U.s. citizens will be over the
age of 65. We will need to educate and
employ every person in order to provide all
of our social needs.” Stein said thatthetask
force will be looking into reframing social
problems k clarifying goals, and identify­
ing ways to meet our social challenges in
the next century.
The purpose of the January 24 meeting
is to solicit input from policy makers, clients,
workers, and providers involved in human
resource, education, housing and job train­
ing services about the future of social serv­
ice delivery in Oregon. Rep. Stein has re­
cruited fifteen volunteer professional fa­
cilitators to guide small group discussions.
Any one interested in participating at 1:00
in Room 357 of the State Capitol should
contact the task force staff at 378-5781.
New Location:
Portland Observer
4747 N.E. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97211
Community members plant living memorial in honor of M artin Luther King
Jr. at M artin Luther K in g jr. Elementary School. Present at the ceremony are
Charles Jordan Portland Parks Director, LeVern Davis M artin Luther King
Jr. School Principal, Beth Stout Friends of Trees, and Ron Wyden U.S.
Congressman.